Rochdale grooming gang leader Shabir Ahmed has been moved from his accommodation after its location was revealed on social media.
Pakistani-born Ahmed, 73, known to his victims as “Daddy”, was released on licence on July 2 after he served 14 years in jail since his conviction in 2012 for multiple rape and sexual offences against young girls.
He is subject to a string of licence conditions including staying at approved accommodation staffed 24 hours a day, but the disclosure of the address in Accrington, Lancashire, caused local uproar.
Among those who called for his removal from the town were Sarah Smith, Labour MP for Hyndburn and Haslingden.
In a statement, she said: “Since finding out that Shabir Ahmed had been released from prison into Hyndburn, I did everything in my power to get him removed. I can confirm that he has been moved.
“My thanks go to the Ministry of Justice, the Home Office, and Lancashire Police for ensuring this outcome.
“I am disgusted that he was ever here in the first place and I join other MP colleagues who have been calling for a much wider exclusion zone so that he is not placed in Lancashire or the North West.
“He must be deported as soon as possible, and I am pleased the Government is taking steps to secure this.
“My first thoughts are with his victims. His release will bring back unimaginable trauma for the women whose lives were changed forever by his sickening crimes. They deserved to know that once he left prison, he would leave this country.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has vowed to act to get Shabir Ahmed deported (PA)PA Wire“Instead, they have been told he remains here, far too close to the scenes of his crimes and to his victims.”
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A Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said: “Public protection is our top priority.
“This offender is subject to the toughest supervision possible and he will be on the sex offenders register for life.
“He is also banned from contacting his victims, or any child or young person, and has his movements tracked.”
Ahmed cannot return to his former home address in Oldham and is also excluded from parts of Rochdale.
On Monday, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said she would change the Immigration and Asylum Bill, which is passing through the Commons, to remove immunity under the 1971 Immigration Act which would prevent Ahmed being deported.
However she admitted in the Commons that despite the potential law change, she would be unable to deport him unless Pakistan agrees to do so.
The 1971 law forbids the removal of Commonwealth citizens who arrived in the UK more than 50 years ago.